Beijing / Shanghai

Operatic pop quartet Il Divo is back in China, and in 2012, the four will bring their best hits to Chinese fans. With 26 million albums sold and 150 gold discs secured, they had performed at Jiangsu Satellite TV Station's New Year's Eve gala. More than 10,000 people enjoyed their beautiful vocals and operatic arrangements with classic songs such as Hero and You Raise Me Up.

"The show at the gala was just a warm-up and we will take the audiences in Beijing and Shanghai on a memorable journey," says tenor David Miller, 38, referring to the Chinese legs of their world tour.

The tour will feature songs from the group's new album Wicked Game, and a new show designed by creative director Brian Burke, whose credits include Celine Dion's five-year run of shows at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas.

"It would be simple but powerful," Miller says. "We are in our best condition, vocally and musically. "

The international quartet of talents consists Swiss tenor Urs Buhler, Spanish baritone Carlos Marin, French pop artist Sebastien Izambard and tenor David Miller from the United States. The group was brought together in 2003 by music producer Simon Cowell. Their album Ancora was the first crossover classical recording to enter the US Billboard Top 200 at number one.

All four had their own jobs before they became Il Divo. They were not too confident about crossover music at the start, but the success of their releases has proved it is a winning formula.

They may be graduates of the Simon Cowell hit factory but they are very much their own men.

"We are four captains in the same boat," says Spanish baritone Carlos Marin. "We are big personalities and Simon knows that. He listens to us, and we tell him if we don't like something."

Romantic songs are their favorites, as Miller puts it, "because we are romantic people".

"All the music genres we add into our music, such as Latin, are based on romance," Miller says. After seven years together, the quartet has forged a bond of genuine camaraderie.

"We had time apart after our last tour and that always helps. Some time apart means we all have fresh ideas and individual input," he adds.

You may contact the writer at chennan@chinadaily.com.cn.